How to Get Married in San Francisco

Getting married in San Francisco is simpler than most couples expect, but the process has a few specific steps that are easy to miss if you’re not looking for them. As wedding photographers and videographers based here in the city, we’ve stood beside a lot of couples on their actual wedding day, and we put together this guide covering the license, the ceremony options, and the best time of year to plan around.

Step One: Get Your Marriage License

Before you can get married in California, you need a marriage license issued within 90 days of your ceremony date. In San Francisco, licenses are issued through the Office of the County Clerk at City Hall, and both people need to appear in person with valid government-issued photo ID. As of April 2025, appointments are booked directly through the County Clerk’s website, and you’ll need to submit your application at the time of booking rather than showing up and filling it out on-site.

You’ll choose between a public license, which is filed with the county and open to anyone who requests a copy, and a confidential license, which stays sealed and skips the witness requirement altogether, though it does require that you and your partner already be living together. A public license needs one witness present at your ceremony to sign off on it. Either way, the license itself isn’t a marriage; it’s a permit to have one, so you’ll still need an actual ceremony within that 90-day window for it to count.

Step Two: Choose Your Ceremony Type

If you have six guests or fewer, City Hall offers a simple civil ceremony performed by a County Clerk commissioner, and you can book that appointment directly through their office. It’s a quick, no-frills option, and City Hall’s rotunda alone makes for a stunning backdrop, no extra decorating required.

For a larger guest list, or if you want your ceremony on a weekend, evening, or holiday, you’ll need to book a private event space through City Hall Events rather than the walk-in civil ceremony. Popular private spots inside City Hall include the Mayor’s Balcony and the Fourth Floor Gallery, both of which give you the marble staircases and natural light without the wait of a public ceremony slot.

You’re also not required to get married at City Hall at all. Couples can request a County Clerk commissioner to perform the ceremony at a San Francisco location of their choosing, from a private backyard to a park overlooking the bay, though you’ll be responsible for booking and paying for that venue yourself. If you’d rather have a friend or family member officiate, anyone over 18 can become authorized to perform a single ceremony, which is a nice option if you want someone who actually knows you standing up there.

The Best Time of Year to Get Married in San Francisco

If you’re wondering about the best time of year to get married in San Francisco, the short answer is September or October. It surprises a lot of people, since June through August are technically summer, but those months bring the heaviest fog and the coolest temperatures of the entire year. The marine layer that San Francisco is famous for rolls in heaviest during summer, which means gray skies, wind, and temperatures that rarely climb out of the low 60s.

September and October flip that completely. Average highs climb into the upper 60s and low 70s, the fog retreats, and you get some of the clearest, most golden light of the year, which happens to be great news for your photos too. October carries a slightly higher chance of rain than September, but it’s still considered one of the most reliable stretches of weather on the calendar, and it comes with the bonus of fall color starting to show up around the city.

If fall dates are already booked up by the time you’re planning, late April and May are a solid second choice. The rainy season has typically wrapped up, the hills are still green, and the heavy summer fog hasn’t rolled in yet. Whatever month you land on, keep in mind that San Francisco’s microclimates mean the weather can shift block by block, so a venue in the Sunset District can run noticeably cooler and foggier than one in the Mission on the very same afternoon.

What We Look For as Your Photographers

Every one of these ceremony options photographs differently, and that’s something worth thinking about early. City Hall’s rotunda gives us soaring marble columns and a spiral staircase that works beautifully for both portraits and the ceremony itself, while the Mayor’s Balcony offers a more intimate, elevated vantage point over the floor below. If you’re getting married outdoors somewhere in the city, we’re paying attention to where the fog is likely to sit that time of year and timing your ceremony around it when we can.

Whichever month and location you land on, it’s worth having a conversation with your photographer ahead of time about lighting and timing, especially if you’re set on an outdoor ceremony during the foggier months. A one o’clock ceremony can look completely different from a four o’clock one depending on where the marine layer happens to be that day.

Other Details Worth Planning Ahead Of Time

A few small details tend to catch couples off guard. Marriage license and ceremony appointments at City Hall are separate bookings and often can’t happen on the same day, so plan to get your license at least a day or two before your wedding if you can. After the ceremony, your signed license needs to be returned to the appropriate office for recording, either the Assessor-Recorder for a public license or the County Clerk for a confidential one, so make sure whoever officiates knows that step is on them. City Hall Events has a helpful license and certificate breakdown if you want to see the filing requirements laid out in full.

If you’re bringing your own officiant instead of using a County Clerk commissioner, double-check that they’re prepared with the right paperwork ahead of time. City Hall is a formal government building, and having everything in order before you arrive keeps your actual wedding day free of any last-minute scrambling.

Planning Your San Francisco Wedding

Between the license, the venue, and the timing, there’s a lot to coordinate, but none of it is complicated once you know the order of operations. If you’re still deciding on a photographer, our guide on how to choose a wedding photographer in San Francisco walks through what to look for, and our post on questions to ask your wedding photographer before you book covers what to bring up on a first call.

Once you’ve got a date and a location locked in, we’d love to help capture the day. Take a look through our portfolio to see some of the weddings we’ve photographed around the city, or reach out to our team to check our availability.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance should I apply for a marriage license in San Francisco?

Your license is valid for 90 days, so we recommend applying about a month or two before your ceremony date. This gives you a buffer in case appointments are booked out at the County Clerk’s office, without risking the license expiring before your wedding day.

Do I need a witness to get married in San Francisco?

It depends on which license you choose. A public license requires one witness at your ceremony, while a confidential license doesn’t require a witness at all, though it does require that you and your partner already live together. Either way, we always suggest having at least one person there to sign as a witness just in case.

What’s the best time of year to get married in San Francisco?

September and October tend to be the sweet spot, with warmer temperatures and less fog than the summer months. It surprises a lot of couples, but June through August actually bring the coolest, foggiest weather of the year in the city.